The Green Notebook
by Cr8zeCorbinFangirl
Summary: Derek warned, but Casey, for once, didn't listen. Plez, don't steal the lyrics. R&R.


Disclamier: Canada owns Life With Derek. Not me.

* * *

D Rock stood in the living room of the MacDonald/Venturi household. Casey sat in the crook of the couch, looking at some new lyrics she came up with. Sam softly toned his bass. Derek was talking to Frank. "Hey, Case?" Casey looked up for a split second. "Can you go up to my room and get my guitar? I left it on my bed." Casey groaned, yet obliged. She placed down the sheet and walked up the first two steps. "Oh, and Casey!" She turned to her step-brother. "_DON'T_ look in the green notebook." He warned.

"Whatever." Casey trudged upstairs.

* * *

The one place Casey never wanted to be. Derek's room. She entered with caution, being sure not to come in contact with anything that could leave her sick. She looked at the bed, the guitar strewn down the middle at some angle. Leaning against the body was the notebook Derek had warned her not to look in. It was a translucent, forest-green cover, written in big, sharpie Black letters reading "Lyrics of Derek Venturi" She grabbed the guitar by the neck. The notebook flapped back, the cover bouncing up for a split second. _DON'T look in the green notebook. _Derek's voice screamed in her head. She breathed in and out. Did she really want to invade her step-brother's privacy? "Yes, I do."

She softly put down the guitar, grasping the spine of the notebook and sitting herself down at the foot of the bed. Carefully, she opened to the first page. In the margin above, it read "A Ballad to Casey." Her eyes went wide.

"What are you doing?" Casey jumped up, dropping the notebook. "I thought I told you not to look in that notebook." Derek stomped over to his forgotten guitar.

"I'm s…"

"Whatever Case." Derek glared at her, walking out.

Casey plopped back down on the bed, guilt overwhelming her.

* * *

Casey sat at her computer, dully playing her 30th game of Snood in a row. She was trying to beat Lizzie's score of 7814. It was kind of hard, even if the level _was_ easy. Then again, she was still sad about her incident with Derek earlier. They were just lyrics, weren't they? What could Derek be hiding? And why was it titled "A Ballad to Casey"? _It was probably about how much I annoy him. Then why did Derek want to hide it?_ She didn't understand it at all.

The faint sound of a guitar crawled its way through her drywall. It wasn't annoying and obnoxious like Derek's usual music. It was…nice. She paused her game, walking to the vent. She opened the slide, letting the sounds from Derek's room fill her own room.

_We fell in love  
But they threw it apart  
My love why are we  
Stuck with broken hearts?_

_Tell me why!?  
What is this emotion?  
Tell me why!?  
Why do I feel this?  
Is this love a  
Part of nothing more?_

_  
I am filled with  
Despair  
And it's hurting inside  
You're the only one  
Who can heal my heart?  
I need your love  
Baby, give me your heart,  
Please swear,  
That you'll help through  
This despair_

_You were all  
That I wanted  
You said I was all that  
You needed_

_But why have we  
Fallen apart  
Why do we need this to happen?  
Tell me why!  
Does this always happen  
To me?  
Tell me why!  
Does he never let me?  
Answer me please  
Because…_

_  
I am filled with  
Despair  
And it's hurting inside  
You're the only one  
Who can heal my heart?  
I need your love  
Baby, give me your heart,  
Please swear,  
That you'll help through  
This despair_

_I'm tearing apart everything  
That I see  
Because I can't see you.  
Please, help me, I need you  
Once more  
So help with this Despair!  
PLEASE!_

_I am filled with  
Despair  
And it's hurting inside  
You're the only one  
Who can heal my heart?  
I need your love  
Baby, give me your heart,  
Please swear,  
That you'll help through  
This despair_

Casey sat on her bed, trying her best not to cry at the serenity and sincerity of Derek's lyrics. She breathed quietly. "If only Casey really knew." Casey froze. "Wish I could tell her I love her."

Casey wanted to gag. Derek Venturi was in love with her!? Had the world gone mad!?

"OH CRAP!" She heard Derek exclaim.

Derek had probably realized that his vent was open. She had at least twenty seconds to close the vent and go back to her game. She didn't want to waste a chance of being caught. She jumped up, racing to the maroon vent. Casey jiggled with the lever, the piece jammed. "Oh, come on. Not now!" The sound of door opening and closing. Ten seconds. The vent finally closed. She ran to her desk, pulling the straw-weaved chair back and seated herself quickly. She hit 'P' to unpause her game and continued playing.

Just in time.

The door opened, a somewhat freaking out Derek leaning against the frame. She paused her game again. "What do you want, Derek?" She turned around in her chair, seeming like she heard nothing.

"Did you hear anything…coming from my room?"

She gulped. "No." She snobbed. It wasn't her place to lie, but she couldn't let Derek know she heard. Things would be…things would be just weird.

"Are you sure? You're not lying?"

"Derek, you really need to get you're head checked. Because I didn't hear anything except my room." She turned around as she unpaused once more. She nipped at her lip as she could still feel Derek's presence still behind her. "Okay…" The tone lingered. Slowly, Derek began to leave, closing the door.

But a small part of Casey's mind lingered upon him. What would she do? He loved her secretly, but it wasn't a secret anymore. What was she to do?

* * *

Two weeks passed and things got weirder and weirder. No more band rehearsals, no more fights. Just silence. It was Saturday once more and Casey sat in her room, reading a story she had thought up in Study Hall. It was a just a short little thing about a flower's point of view on how the world had changed. It was a childish thing that held many errors, but hey, she had been bored. Softly, the same melody of guitar crept through. Casey's body froze and relaxed, all at the same time. She didn't know what to do. Listen or confront.

She shook her head. There was no argument. She had to tell him what she knew. But, was she really brave enough? She'd have to find out. She marked her page, standing up and walking to the door of Derek's room. It was already opened slightly. Not enough for the whole house to hear the wondrous music, but enough she could open it with little force. It bounced against the plug, signaling her presence.

Derek quickly tried to hide his guitar and the lyrics, but they both knew it was too late. But still, he tried. "What Casey?"

The teenage girl grimaced, tempting her own body to walk out. "I…heard your song." She could see him tense. "You know, when you're not crowded by rock 'n' roll and your voice isn't at the highest and loudest it can be, you sing…wonderfully." She waited for some snappy comment, but it never came. At least, not how she would have expected it.

"How long have you known?"

She breathed. "Two weeks."

Derek shot up. "Two weeks? TWO WEEKS!?" Casey slowly nodded. "You mean, you lied to me, two weeks ago?" Again, Casey nodded, fear in her eyes. "What else did you hear?" As her blue eyes averted his, Derek's went wide as saucers. "No. You didn't! You didn't! You couldn't have! No, please, Oh God, no…"

He continued rambling, making Casey feel worse with every denial that reached past his lips. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything." She turned walking away.

"Casey…" Derek sat on his bed. "I'm sorry, it's just…how do you feel about me? Down to the very last detail."

Casey walked back in, sitting beside him. "I think you're obnoxious, lazy, egotistical,…but under all that, I think you're sweet, caring, compassionate and a terrific person." She stared at him, his head hung down in shame. Hesitantly, she raised her hand and brushed some of his hair behind his ear.

Derek flinched away. Her hand paused in midair, slowly going to her side. She now also hung her head in shame. She had to admit. It had felt…kind of good to stroke his hair between her fingers. A kind of spark.

"I don't know how this will work out or what'll happen. But," Derek looked at Casey, turning he head to look at him. "I _do_ know that I want to give us a try and not push it away out of fear." Softly, he stroked her chin.

Derek slowly leaned in. His breath slowly overpowered hers. "Casey?"

"Yea?"

"May I…"

Casey looked into him for a moment. "Yea…"

Derek needed nothing else. He captured her lips in his, slowly savoring her taste. She had put on a sweep of fruit punch lip gloss and it truly overpowered the taste, driving Derek crazy. He pulled her by the waist, closer, as they lied back on his bed.

* * *

So, yea. I know I probably should have divided it into chapters. But, still, what do y'all think. BTW, I _DO _ the lyrics that were used, so don't nobody dare take them without giving credit to me.

Reviews would be LUVED!


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